


Dear Arthur...

by 01blackcat02



Series: ...and you've got your demons, and, darling, they all look like me... [3]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 04:21:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14866511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/01blackcat02/pseuds/01blackcat02
Summary: After all this time the letter remained sealed and hidden, its secrets forever lie unanswered. Part 3 of a 4 part series but doesn't have to be read in order.





	Dear Arthur...

**Author's Note:**

> Warning clarification: Natural major character death (after they had a long and fulfilling life) 
> 
> USUK centric, Sealand x Wy only mentioned.
> 
> The title of this work is not affiliated in any way with the usukanthology's (on tumblr) work under the same name. I choose this title from my fic 'Our Stupid Little Mistake' written in September of 2017 where the envelope with 'Dear Arthur' was mentioned at the end.

Sorting through his father’s things was hard. Perhaps the hardest thing the alpha had to do.

The bedroom was exactly as the old omega left it a few days prior. Untouched.

There were stacks of books scattered between the desk and the bookshelf. Clothing that still hung in the closet and scattered across the bed where Peter cried into them the night after it happened. Boxes of family photos Arthur wanted to sort through and put away in albums that sat collecting dust. His half finished embroidery projects, now forever incomplete. Just like the rest of the house filled with lots and lots of stuff that Peter needed to be examined and put into an appropriate pile.

But, the memories that were permanently embedded in each item made it that much harder to put into the ‘get rid of’ pile and most things unintentionally ended up in the ‘to keep’ box.

Peter didn't want to disturb the place Arthur spend the last moments of his life in. Somehow the alpha felt that if he left it as is, his father would waddle in and smile at him in greeting as if nothing had changer. They’d talk of Peter’s children, and catch up on family gossip. Arthur would ask how’s work and Peter would reply that everything was going great, and Arthur would nod and smile in satisfaction at his son’s success.  

Feeling his eyes water Peter wiped them clear, blinking several times to stop the stinging.

“Do you need help darling?” Wy called up from the bottom of the stairs.

“No! I'm fine here thanks.” Peter called down to her, proud that his voice didn't break.

Right. It's now or never.

Perhaps it's because Arthur never let him touch this bookcase that Peter naturally gravitated towards it. There was something magical about the old books that smelled of aging paper and of Arthur's own calming scent. He crouched down and picked up a book, flipping through the worn pages, feeling it’s weight in his hands. The text had many sentences and words underlines with Arthur’s handwritten notes in the margins. Not even looking at the book’s title Peter put in in the ‘to keep’ box. He reached for another, and another, and suddenly the young alpha had a glimpse into his father’s personality and life than he ever had before.

Who knew that Arthur liked reading both occult and cooking books. Both genres were mixed together on one shelf, which may explain why the late omega’s food always tasted awful. Further down were encyclopedias and reference books on anything from trees to photography. Fashion from the 1920's and many sewing pattern books. Huge volumes on flowers that grow in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. A mid 2000 copy of a travel guide in the United States of America that had several posted notes sticking out of it.

In the middle of the bookshelf, there were some old children's books that Peter instantly recognized and spend a few minutes indulging in a memory of sitting at the dinner table eating Arthur's burned food while the omega patiently read to him in hopes of distracting his son from the bad taste. The Harry Potter books were all worn out from the countless times Arthur and then Peter reread them. He traced their creased spines with fondness and when his fingers found the very worn copy of _A Bear Called Paddington_ Peter chuckled with a half sob. He pulled the book and opened it to gaze at the illustrations with watery eyes.

The memories lingered in the old bedroom suspended in time. Arthur’s soft voice echoing throughout the house. Then, the light changed and it was gone in and instance.

Peter blinked his tears away again, and wiped at his nose with his sleeve a few times before he put the children books down in the ‘to keep’ box. He should start reading books to his children while they were still young.

The afternoon light turned amber as it began to set and by that time the bookshelf stood half empty. The light dimmed and further darkened the room. Looking at the scattered books in their respective piles with the half empty shelf towering over Peter, the alpha felt Arthur’s presence slowly start to disappear as each book was removed.

Staring at the mess in the master bedroom that Arthur would never tolerate, despair so strong overtook Peter that he almost rushed out of the house.

He would never hug his father again. Could never talk to him again. Or eat his burned food. Or bring his children to spend the day with their grandparent. Or go on that vacation to America they talked about for years but never seem to get around to do it. It was over. The end.

Peter sat of the floor and breathed through the turmoil that was warring inside of him.

Then the light suddenly changed again and filled the old room with the warmth of the sunset. The kind that Arthur loved to watch out in his garden among the roses. His tea cooling on the old table set, waiting for the old omega to pick up the fragile china cup and relish the warm tea. He would sit and laugh with sister Holly or his many brothers who visited him regularly. When Peter and Wy brought the children, that alone would brighten the old omega’s day spoiling them rotten with sweets. It was precisely because Arthur never complained about being lonely that his family made sure to always be there for him. And despite the painful distant look the omega would sometimes get, Peter knew that his father had a great life surrounded by people who loved him. Till the very end.

Peter would be fine in time. Maybe not now, but someday. He’ll get through this and would later remember his father with a smile and fond memories.

Brushing the tears away once more, Peter looked at the remaining books on the top shelf. There nestled between _Persuasion_ and _The Great Gatsby_ he spotted a thick envelope sticking out of an old _Sherlock Holmes_ book.

Curious Peter took it off the shelf and opened the book.

_‘Dear Arthur’_

Was neatly printed on the front on the aging envelope.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t open it.’ Peter thought.

After all, it wasn't his. But the envelope was still sealed and will never to opened by the original recipient.

Hesitantly, Peter slowly tore the top of the yellow file envelope with his thumb.

For a moment Peter couldn’t breathe. He wasn't sure what he was looking at.

There were many legal documents and signatures on various forms. ‘Arthur Kirkland’ was neatly written in cursive on the bottom of an application form. Heat relief services? Probably not something Peter ever wanted to know about. But then there were pictures of Arthur with a man. A tall blond with blue eyes smiling at Arthur with clear affection on his face. Arthur’s own happy lovestruck gaze was shining through his eyes, and slowly the pieces came together.

‘Alfred F. Jones’ was printed on several documents, his handwriting match the inscription on the envelope. Peter flipped through pages and pages of legal text but the last page had him dumbstruck. There on a dotted line was Alfred’s signature agreeing to a formal resignation and a written confirmation to distance himself from the one named ‘Arthur Kirkland’ for a duration of five years.  

Peter’s hands were shaking. He walked to the bed and sat down staring at the signature. He turned back to the first image of Arthur and Alfred together. The resemblance was there. Peter swallowed hard, his throat gone dry. But this was years ago. Alfred was probably gone...just like Arthur.

But why didn’t Alfred gone back to Arthur after five years? And why didn't Arthur ever told him about Alfred?

Peter put the paperwork on the bed and stared at the bookshelf. A headache was slowly forming in his head, and after a moment, confusion and anger brought the pain to the forefront.

The realization that he never even asked Arthur what happened to his father struck a painful cord in his heart. Anger at Arthur was next. Then guilt for having such feelings towards his dead father. Finally, regret and self-hatred settled uncomfortably in the alpha’s gut.

Maybe if he was more curious and persistent Arthur would have shared this, but now it was too late.

Sitting in Arthur's old dimly lit room with a pile to ’get rid of’ and a pile of ‘to keep’ among old paperwork and pictures of Arthur’s past life, Peter was at a loss.

What was he supposed to do now? Gather all this up and stuff it back into the envelope? Staring at the records and feeling numb, that’s exactly what Peter ended up doing. Old legal files and pictures went back into the old yellow envelope hiding away their secrets and unanswered question.

Just as he grabbed the last of the stapled pile of papers a folded note slipped out onto the floor.

Groaning Peter reached down to pick it up. He opened it and his eyes grew wider as he took in the words on the page. He read it. Then reread it twice. A small bitter smile formed on his lips. Peter looked back at the two piles, the note still in his hand.

Yes, Arthur was loved. Always.

_My dear Arthur,_

_I love you so much I don't know if I'll have the courage to tell you this in person, but I want you to finally know the truth of what happened on that day…_

**Author's Note:**

> What are some of the human names for Principality of Wy? I couldn't find anything commonly used so I left it as is to distinguish her from other Hetalia female countries. 
> 
> Couldn't decide if I wanted this to be the very last chapter or not, but ended up putting it as part 3 in the series since the reason why Alfred had to break off things with Arthur is technically the "big reveal" 
> 
> Part 4 will be the last and final installment of this AU, hope you guys stick around for it^^


End file.
